In 1972, I worked at a mill North of Chattanooga making lumber, then pallets we sold to TN Paper Mills. We used a white draft horse and mule to pull the logs across the hill side. We cut oak, hickory, poplar, and gum. The mill was a Corley Mfg. Co. sawmill. Melvin Worley owned and ran the operation, Thurman Dishman from Kentucky cut the trees down, dragged them back through the woods with a John Deere logging machine, with a cable winch on the back. Snuffy and Wallace worked there, too. Wallace lived in an abandoned Bunny Bread van close by the mill. He had a mattress and a wood stove, that's it. I was making 2.60/hr. Sometimes I leave your video on, just for the sound of it.

Old tractors never die , they become sawmills

nice old mill john

Thanks for your comments. Restoring this old mill was a three year project and about as much fun as you can have. I bought it from a farmer in Lexington NC. I bought the power unit from another old sawyer near Hillsborough. One of the great things about this project was the interest and support from other sawyers in the area. Each spring the Forestry students from Duke visit to see a real sawmill in action. Lots of fun. Nels Anderson

And whoever you had working the slabs is one tough cookie. Go girl!

What a nice mill! I really enjoy watching the old technology in action. Great video!

Nice mill, I am in the process of restoring a mill my father built back in the late 70 's He started out with an engine alot like yours but a little larger.We now have a budda deisel.we run the old flat belts just like you. Our mill is located in Havelock NC. Great video.

Like others I really like your sawmill. I see that your power unit was once the engine of an IH tractor. By removing the rest of the tractor from the engine you got the power unit for your sawmill and you don't have to rely on the electrical power grid. Positively very creative.

Nice sawmill setup

Where would we be without the women in our lives? My wife helps me a lot doing stuff like this.....they really need more recognition because you know they only do it for us.

Nice old mill. Thanks for posting. Looks cold for North Carolina!

Thank for posting this most interesting operation that you've built. I enjoyed watching it!

The offbearer is my daughter. She is as strong as I am. We have been making lumber again the last couple of days. I'm pleased to report it is still up to the task of making good boards---some over 12" wide. I am always amazed at the ability of an antique machine to do such quality work.

Interesting set works . I like the vertical rack idea , less sawdust in the cogs

I'm always fascinatwed with these older mills .I worked as a Sawmill engineer almost 40 years ago and we had replaced a similar mill with a semi auto bandsaw rig. A large log (up to 8 feet diameter!) could take 2 or 3 hours to break down but with the new rig we were cutting several logs per minute with 4 men working the mill. I agree with Dennis ,you need a longer set of rollers to clear your slabs.

Thanks for the comment. I spent a lot of time building the foundation (concrete piers). It makes good lumber, square and same thickness end to end. I do set the lead once in a while

There is a frick mill right down the road and until a month or 2 ago it was pulled by a 4-71 made in 1950 or 52. Replaced by a 6-71 and still running strong! Gopher it fellow Tarheels!

That sounds so good when i was a young man i helped a man with his frick mill i really enjoyed it hard work but good times.

My parents had an old saw mill with a 54'' solid blade. It was powered by an old slant six engine. After I left home, they got a 66 " insert blade and a small V8 engine. Three of us could cut enough boards to fully load a half ton pick-up in a half hour. It beat the hell outta' anything at home Depot, for sure.

Sir नमस्कार बहुत सुंदर

Thank you for this very informative video! I am a homeschooling mom and wanted to show my daughter Emily how sawmill works. She and I really enjoyed the video! Great close ups, love the machine! (by the way, my comments are apparently going through my son Jeremy lol. My name is Suanne)

Good size logs for the mill

Very good video. Nice set up. I once had an American No 1 with a 54" blade that my dad bought and set up and then I rebuilt the carriage years later and changed the carriage drive to cable instead of the shaky cog drive. One suggestion I might make if I may is to get some more rollers and stands or at least back the trailer closer so she doesn't have to carry the lumber so far. Plus, she could learn to handle the lumber better so not so strenuous. Letting the length of the lumber work to your advantage....lift one end and pivot, slide or drag into position. PS. I eventually purchased on of the first Wood Mizers.

Love your help! Must be a daughter to work that hard.

It has log bunk.it needs a log Turner assist..on the bunk notch out place for 1.5 to two inch scaft.whatever you can find cheap then on each end you have a half round piece and perhaps INE in center..you turn the half round up and undo log and let it hitcthos half rounds it assists the turning of the log..since pieces are half round they normally will be down out of the way

I would like to come see you all run the saw mill i like old stuff like this. I am in Bennettsville SC. Great video

North Carolina women are tough

Very good video 📸

Your sawing style isn't conventional but it gets done. Nice pine where are u located ?

That trailer should be back.take the lumber and roll right onto trailer..less work more production.we had two truck parked at end and every size of board had a place

That's to hard work for a young girl.

whats the number on your power unit...ud6? pulls better than 35hp..i will post a vid soon show you how to turn your logs......make it alot less trouble...love the vid thanks for showing .........make some more

Sawmill operation. When you have printing on screen make sure it’s different color than the background

Hard working woman, there. Why was the guy doing the easy job and the woman was doing the hard job?

what make mill is this? I have a No.2 Ireland that i'm currently restoring

Sir you come to the india.

is that a ud-6 ?

Video by Nancy Video should be FRONT IF LOG. No one wants end if log or end or back of carriage or sawdust system. Nice fill but cutting log is what we look for

I live in close to Hillsborough nc and i have some black walnut logs i need cut. Would you be willing to cut them for me and how much do you charge

kenapa tak gunakan band saw yang lebih besar.macam tu potong dapat sikit sahaja.

What brand is that mill ?

You are putting the belt dressing on the wrong side of the belt

Actually it might be your wife. :)